Blog Menu - main

Blog Menu - alt

Get the latest industry insights sent to your inbox once a month.

Concepts of Great Service

July 11, 2013

"Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value. - Jim Rohn”

How often do we hear the phrase “sense of urgency”? The phrase is really not that well understood. It has a connotation of “understanding” and “desire” - in other words, it is a sense, so it is somewhat intangible. Moreover, it requires that the possessor of the sense have the ability to communicate that it actually has it. Simply stated, “sense of urgency” requires possession of the sense and the ability to adequately demonstrate the sense.

A sense of urgency is something required of those who provide a service. Why is it important? Generally if someone feels your sense of urgency, they are more comfortable with you managing their affairs and giving you more responsibility. It creates confidence. It shows someone that you care just as much as they do.

How does a management team create a culture that consistently promotes a sense of urgency? It requires a combination of things, including:

Responsiveness

Effective communication

Accountability

Empathy

Follow through

Personal pride

Results

Having a “sense of urgency” and “working hard” are not the same thing. But, they have a lot to do with one another – it’s all about reaching a level of comfort that someone understands your objectives and is working hard to achieve them… that they “get” the urgency. It’s obvious when you work with someone who has it - you instantly feel that you’re in the right hands.

In fact, when you find that your vendors do not have it, you likely notice right away. Those people tend to say things like, "let me get back to you" or "I will look into it”. They don't say, "I understand that this is your highest priority, so it is mine, too" or "this is complex, but I am working directly with the right people to address it as quickly as possible".

Many people fail to communicate a sense of urgency – despite the fact that they’re working hard to solve problems and help others achieve their goals. Why is that the case? Is it a cultural issue? Is this type of communication perceived to be less valuable than the actual resolution of the issue? I believe that it’s critically important to do both. Demonstrating expertise as well as a sense of urgency is a huge part of our evaluation as a service provider. It’s not only a key differentiator, but also a competitive edge.

As we aim to provide great service, we should always communicate our sense of urgency. It’s the act of the service provider adopting the voice, concerns and goals of the customer. And it’s a tie that binds.